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Saturday, 13 July 2013

My Favourite Book

A while ago Victoria from Victoria loves books asked some bloggers to write about their favourite book for her blog. Well I thought as it is my favourite book, I should share it with you guys on here. So here it is: Garden Spells.

The cover of this book is absolutely beautiful; I seriously want a dress like that!

I love stories with a touch of magic and Sarah Addison Allen’s stories are so beautifully written. They have a fairytale quality to them that really sets this novel apart for me.

In this story, the Waverley women have lived in their house in North Carolina for generations with a walled garden that mysteriously blooms all year round. There are rumours of dangerous loves and tragic passions. Every Waverly woman has been touched by magic.

Tucked away in the small garden is a curious apple tree that is rumoured to be enchanted. Sarah tells the story of this magical tree and the extraordinary that tend it.

The Waverley’s are a curious family that has strange gifts that make them outsiders in their small town. Sydney Waverley so wanted to be separated from this that she left town as soon as she could. Clare however likes the quiet life she leads, being a successful caterer, preparing the most amazing dishes from the mystical plants in their garden.

But Claire’s world is turned upside down when she wakes to find a stranger has moved in next and a vine of ivy has crept into their garden.

I have honestly never come across a novel like this before- the story is so unique. Magical realism is definitely a genre that I love as it waves magic into the story without it being the main focus. It is told like it is real rather than something that is discovered. They aren’t sitting in front of a spell book; casting spells on people, it is woven into the story. I love how Sarah Addison Allen does this so well:

“He stood and ran back toward the house, a faint purple light trailing behind him like the tail of a comet.”

This story was so full of every type of emotion, tragedy, sadness, healing wounds, happiness, love and joy. Sarah portrays each of the characters extremely well and the impact that they all have on each other in this closely-knit community.

This was an extremely easy read and I could not put it down. I wanted and needed to know what was going to happen next and how the story would pan out. If you love stories with a touch of magic I definitely recommend this book!